Shoe fastener



M. YARTYAN SHOE FASTENER Oct. 31, 1933.

Filed March 6, 1933 .INVENIOR M1105 Yarfya/z BY I z I ammfiawyw 5A;TTORNEYS. j/

WITNESSES a il 40 front hereinbefore referred to.

Patented Get. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT oFF- cE Claims.

the following specification is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of a shoe having a fas tener constructed in accordance with the invention applied thereto, the parts thereof being uni fastened; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the parts fastened; Fig. 4 is a view of the spring and latch hook assembly;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the eye member as it.

appears before being applied;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring now more particularlyto the drawing, it will be apparent that there has been shown, by way of example, a shoe 10 of the oxford type the upper 11 of which is split or divided to pro-, vide the usual opening to allow a person to readv ily slip the foot into the shoe before fastening the same, and also to allow the foot to be easily withdrawn from the shoe after it is unfastened. The shoe upper 11 has attached thereto the usual tongue 12 for closing the opening at the In accordance with the invention, there is provided means on the upper 11, which co-operates or is engageable with means on the tongue 12 for fastening the shoe after the foot has been slipped into the same and which may be disengaged to unfasten the shoe so that it may be removed. The said means on the upper 11 of the shoe in the present instance, includes a piece of spring wire which is bent upon itself to provide members 14 which are suitably joined so as to be flexed towardand away from each other. In other words, there is provided a resilient and flexible element or spring substantially of V shape. The said spring is secured in place on the upper 11 by means of a strip, or a plurality of strips 15, of leather or (owe- 0 other suitable material, secured to theinside of the upper 11 toform a pocket in which'the'spring is disposed and concealed. It will be apparent that the members 14 will be disposed respectively, at opposite sides of the split or opening in the. upper 11. The said means on the uppenin addition to the spring, includes latch members or hooks 16, one of which is arranged oneach of the members 14,'so as to have pivotal movement thereon. The upper 11 of the shoe is cut away in order'that each latch member or hook 16 may .be disposed to the outside with the bill 17 of the hook disposed beyond the edge of the upper, as shown most clearly in Fig.' 2.

The means on the tongue 12 which co-operates with the spring members 14 and the latch members or hooks 17, consists of a piece of metal developed to provide a body for a plurality of alternate openings 18 and transverse members 19, and attaching portions 20. The openings 18 and members 19 constitute eyes. The prongsor attaching portions 20 are made so as to be bent or clinched in engagement with thetongue 12, as at .21, so as to retain or secure the members 19 disposed .onthe outsideof the tongue 12.. The members 19 are bowed upwardly, as shown most clearly in Fig. 6, so that the hooks may be readily engaged therewith. It will be apparent. that by providing a plurality of openings 18 and members 19, it will be possible to obtain adjustment of the 85 upper 11 according to the" size of the wearers instep, sincethe hooks 16 may be selectively engaged with the members 19according to the size of the instep of the wearers foot.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that; with the hooks 16 disengaged, as shown in Fig. 2, a person may readily slip the foot into the shoe, after which by a simple manipulation with both hands of the adjacent portions of the upper in which the spring members 14 are disposed, the bills 17 of the hooks 16 may be engaged, respectively, with certain of the members 19. This engagement of the hooks is subject to the flexing of the members 14, which will react when released to retain the hooks 16 engaged with the members 19, and thus fasten the shoe on the foot of the wearer. When it is desired to unfasten the shoe to remove the same, it is only necessary to exert pressure with the hands on the adjacent portions of the upper 11, whereupon the bills of the hooks maybe disengaged and the foot readily withdrawn from the shoe.

It will be obvious, and it is to be understood, that it is within the present invention to employ latch members or hooks without the use of a isecured to the tongue, said latch members being.

members on the upper and tongue respectively,"

said members on the upper being engageable with the member on the tongue to fasten the shoe on the foot, and means on the upper to retainisaid members engaged as aforesaid.

2. In combination in a shoe fastener, a substantially V-shaped spring..-secured to the shoe at the front opening therein, a tongue in said opening, latch members pivotally connected "with the side portionsof said spring, and eye members engageable withsaid eye members'and being. retainjed so engaged ,by said spring,'to fasten the shoeon the foot. of thewearer.

'f3. In a shoefastener; thecombination with the 'shoe upper and tongue, of cooperative latching memberson the upper andtongue respectively,

, said members onthe upper being engageable with the, member on the tongue to fasten the shoe on 'thefoot, and resilient means on the upper to retain vsaidmembers engaged as aforesaid.

4. In ashoe fastener, the combination with the shoe upper and tongue, .of cooperative latching members on. the; upper and! tongue respectively, saidmemberson the upper beingengageable with "the member ontthe tongue to faste'nthe shoe on 'thefoot, and a spring wire secured to saiduppe'r alongthe' front ,opening'at the tongue to retain said members engaged-as aforesaid.

5; In combination in a shoefastener, a spring wire secured to. the upperpf the shoe in a pocket 7 formed therein along the front opening. at the j tongue'of the shoe, hookspivotally connected with ,isaid wire at, opposite ,sidesof said opening respectivel andmea'nson said tongue which may ,be engaged by said hooks subject to the flexure of said wire to retain said hooks engaged with said meansto fasten said shoe on-the foot of the wearer.

6; In .coinbination. in a shoe fastener, hooks carried by the shoe upper at'opposite sides of the opening therein which is closed by,the tongue "thereof, and a member having a series ofspaced upwardly-bowed portions secured to said tongue, said portions being selectively engageable by said hooks to fasten the shoe on the foot of the wearer.

'7. In combination in a shoe fastener, hooks pivotally connected with the shoe upper at opposite sides of the opening therein which is closed by the tongue thereof, and a member having a series of spaced upwardly-bowed portions secured to said tongue, said portionsbeing selectively engageable by said hooks to fasten the shoe on the foot of the wearer.

8. In combination in a shoe fastener, a piece of spring wire bent upon itself to provide members which may be flexed toward and away from each other, said wire being secured to the shoe upper by a strip secured to the upper on the inside thereof boundingthe opening in the upper which is closed by the usual tongue, a hook pivo-tally connected with each of said members, the upper being cut away for. this purpose, and means on said tongue which may be engagedby said'hooks subject to'the flexing of said members toward each other, said members having a normal tendency to flex away from eachother to retain said hooks engaged with said means to thus fasten the shoe on the foot of the wearer.

'9'. In combination in a shoefastener, a piece 'of :spring wire bent upon itself to provide members whichznay be flexed toward and away from each other,'said wire being secured to the shoe upper by a strip secured to the upper on the inside thereof bounding the opening in the'upper which is closed by the usual tongue, a hook pivotally connected with'eac'n of said members, the .upper .being cut away for this purpose, and eyes on said L tongue which may be engaged by said hooks, subject to the flexingof saidmembers toward each other, said members having a normal tendency to flex away from each other to retain said hooks engagedwith said eyes to thus fasten the shoe on the foot of the wearer.

10. In'ashoe fastener, thecombination with the shoe ,upper and tongue, of flexiblemeans applied to said upper having a normal tendency .to urge apart the portions of' the upper at the opening closed by said tongue, and coacting means on said tongue and the first means engageable subject to the flexing of said first means to fasten the shoe, and said coacting means being disengageable subject to the flexing of said first means to unfasten the-shoe.

'MINAS YARTY AN. 

